Blog 9

Throughout our lessons on poverty portrayed by art, there weren't many modern day works so I decided to look some up for myself. In my research, I came across a lot of different works but one really stood out to me. A student was doing an assignment on modern deadly sins and one if them was poverty. To show this, she took a photo of herself and photoshopped it in a way that made me feel the pain of being trapped in poverty.

Met Trip

This trip to the Met was the second time I've been there and only time as a student from an actual art class. The difference between the first and second trip was the appreciation of the work. Most importantly, on my first trip the Egyptian exhibit is the one that I spent the most time looking at. On my second trip, I found my self admiring the same work and realizing more than I did the first time. Between the hieroglyphics and the jewelry and the tombs and the pottery that were all shown, my amazement still continues grow the more I view and learn about them. The Temple of Dendur is by far my favorite work in the museum. I find it unbelievable how Ancient Egyptians created this years ago without any help from our modern technology that we possess today. The hieroglyphics all over the walls is what interest me the most. To me, the Ancient Egyptians are the most skillful artist there ever was.

Post 7

Even though we've been on the topic of poverty, over our snow break, I finally had the chance to watch the movie The Interview. To begin with I've always felt that Seth Rogen and James Franco are funny to certain extent although I did keep my expectations up due to the reviews I've heard from my family and friends. When it was first announced that the movie was not going to be released due to the hacking of Sony by North Korea, my curiosity increased because I didn't think the movie was going to be that offensive toward Kim Jong-un. After watching the movie, I was shocked that people would even want to be involved in a movie that takes a serious matter way too far let alone the fact that it's now out on Netflix to the public to watch. The movie was funny in some parts but the rest was completely unnecessary and should not have been allowed to be out there. North Korea may or may not have nuclear weapons but if they do, this movie could have ticked Kim Jong-un off to the point where he did fire them. I think that the movie all together was a disappointment as well as a huge risk that could have been seen as a threat but North Korea if they watched it.

Build up others, Don't break them down

This picture depicts something that is missing from our society.... Random acts of encouragement. In a society plagued by bullying you should take the time to compliment at least one person per day. If everyone did this we would live in a happier and healthier place. 

words of wisdom❤️

Extra Blog Q2: The Giving Pledge.

In my AP English Class, I've noticed patterns in our curriculum that overlap with the topics we bring up in class discussion. In our Community unit, we are currently debating on the basis of ethics, morality, and what responsibility a citizen has in their environment among other things. The first passage I read was from Andrew Carnegie who based his economic decisions on a "Gospel Of Wealth" a philosophy that stated that those who are wealthy should be morally obligated to give back to worthy institutions who are less fortunate. Carnegie, in his day, reached an enormous amount of wealth by use of his steel company. Carnegie proposed that the best way of dealing with the new phenomenon of wealth inequality was for the wealthy to redistribute their surplus means in a responsible and thoughtful manner. This approach was contrasted with traditional bequest, where wealth is handed down to heirs. Carnegie argued that surplus wealth is put to best use when it is administered carefully by the wealthy. Carnegie also argues against wasteful spending in the form of extravagance, irresponsible spending, or self-indulgence, instead promoting the administration of said capital over the course of one's lifetime toward the cause of reducing the stratification between the rich and poor. As a result, the wealthy should administer their riches responsibly.

There is a similar philosophy, or rather it is a strategy, among billionaires today. The Giving Pledge is a campaign to encourage the wealthiest people in the world to make a commitment to give most of their wealth to philanthropic causes like Carnegie and the major money men of his day did. The campaign specifically focuses on billionaires and was made public in 2010 by Warren Buffett and Bill Gates. As of January 2015, 128 billionaire or former billionaire individuals and couples have signed the pledge. Many are concerned that this act of philanthropy on a large scale is just a way to have their mega-billionaires to have a legacy of philanthropy as Carnegie covered his scheming ways with a sheet of money. Others have argued that this project is ineffective as just imposing higher taxes on the rich would open up the flood gate to even more money going to the right organizations because less than 5% of the world’s billionaires agreed to this Giving pledge. This whole project has also been deemed as discouraging to the everyday denizen because it instills the belief that because these large money handlers are contributing to society, they don’t have to. Just because someone is not in the best financial situation, does not mean they cannot contribute at the local level and maintaining their responsibility in society.

The fact that these billionaires have dedicated their time and funds to this project is incredibly important even if it is being deemed today as a publicity stunt. It shows how important giving back is past absolute luxuries. Even though Warren Buffett's contribution of 99% of his wealth is a bit ridiculous to the everyday man, being an informed member of society who involves themselves by any means possible is the first step on a route to a stronger world.

Blog post 6

When the debate over immigration is is started, one of the main arguments is that we all started off as immigrants and that why we have different nationalities. But what those people dont realize is that when the thousands of people came to America, it was legal and important to the economy to fill jobs and bring more money in. Now that jobs are scarce, the need for immigrants is gone. Obamas immigration plan is only harming the people that are already here and natural born citizens. My mom was telling me about her friends parents who came here from India got their citizenship and now collect social security without working a day in their life here. How is taking away our money that we work hard for just to give it away to people who do nothing, even close to being fair? Obama care for another is taking away from the working class and giving to the poor. My friend lost her benefits and had to get obama care...she said that it's better than what she had before. Relating this back to poverty, obama is all for helping the poor but what many dont realize is that he is hurting everyone in the middle class and only help a few of the poor. Yes poverty is a major issue in the united states especially long island but what we're doing right now is hurting more than helping so it needs to be greatly improved.

blog

This political cartoon expresses poverty. Uncle Sam is trapped in a maze with other people. Citizens of the country are stuck in the maze with Uncle Sam who represents the USA. The country is stuck in a war with poverty. 

-Tristan Luccari 😎

#8 The Met

Art is so fascinating, especially when you can walk through time how ever you choose. This makes for an unique way to enjoy art. The Met is my new favorite art museum sorry MoMA. On our last trip to the Met I saw some works from my favorite artist, Salvador Dali. Mr.Dali has a special place in my heart for many reasons one of these is apparent the moment you lay eyes on one of his paintings. 

First off this photo was not taken by me but it is a wonderful example of Dali's genius. His use of  shadows and highlights creates a surreal and realistic atmosphere. He uses illusions to trick the human eye into thinking that the objects that appear on the canvas are coming into the third dimension, into our reality. This ability to portray objects and landscapes is beautiful. Also one of the things that still gets me off guard every time I visit a museum is the scale of the pieces.

When reading about a piece the dimensions might make sense but when you actually meet the piece you might be surprised. For example on our last trip I happened to wander into the Romanesque/Gothic art section and stumbled upon a Duccio. Although the detail and skill he put into this painting are outstanding so is the scale. The piece was about 9'' by 9'' and at the same time another extravagant piece just behind it was almost 4 times the size. Both were great and getting to meet them in the real world was even better. And here I am again I've wandered into the wonderful world of art. The moral of the story today is that no matter how much art interests you just go out and learn something. Spend a few hours or a whole day midst portals to the past and maybe even future.   

Met Trip

The Kouros was, in ancient Greece, not a depiction of a specific man, but an idea of the perfect man. The Greeks were the only ones capable of making one free standing, as the Roman copies required support. They are believed to be originally dedicated to Apollo, as many were found at ancient temples to Apollo, however there were others found in other sites. This particular kouros comes from Attica, the region surrounding Athens. It was used to mark the grave of an Athenian aristocrat. The kouroi are held to high standards as they depict the earliest successful attempts at realistic views of the human body.

Analysis of the Human Race in 2015 A.D. (9)

Intelligence: Increasing exponentially
Ability: Outstanding potential
Technology: Discoveries daily
Advancement:

Stagnant

Flatline

Standstill

Dead.

Wait a second, how is that possible? We have the intelligence, ability and technology to move faster, yet as a society we haven't made major strides to better our race. We haven't cured the diseases plaguing our world. We haven't been able to live comfortably even though there is enough wealth to go around and back. Why are we still living like this?

Why are we still crippled by a tiny virus like Ebola? Is it because we simply don't have the ability to handle it? Some of the greatest minds in medical science are alive today, why can this not be stopped? Well, isn't it unfortunate that some of those minds can't contact the others and work with them simply because one is in the U.S. and one is in Russia? We live in such a segregated world that it is halting our progress. Every country must outdo the others in every field and it completely eradicates any possible attempts at cooperation and slows advancement.

And why are the majority still struggling to live in a society so advanced? By this point we should've eradicated poverty long ago but instead it rings stronger than years past. Those at the top stay at the top and, despite any advancements in society, those at the bottom remain on the bottom, in large and larger numbers. Shouldn't a society that has been to the moon and back, has a computer in every citizen's pocket, and can see down to a size unimaginable be able to sustain its own people? Where did we go wrong?

Met Trip

     Our trip to the Met was one of my favorite trips I have gone on in High School.  It was incredibly interesting seeing all the different styles and variations of art.  But as strange as it sounds, my favorite section of the Museum had to have been the Modern and Contemporary section.  I believe modern art does not nearly get enough attention as it should.  It could just be a personal thing, but I find really strange and obscure art the best kind there is.  Especially when that strange kind of art as some kind of meaning to it.  Most modern art is the extremely creative minded peoples' response to real world issues or practices that they believe is wrong or right.  Often times, the very strange and odd nature of the art seem to turn people off, which leads to them walking away from it and not studying it.  Although in some pieces the meaning may be impossible to ever find, most convey points in topics that are often lewd and controversial.  And after all, modern art is the art of our time, and we should at least try to appreciate it.  Some of these pieces may end up in these museums and valued priceless, just like the works of Van Gogh.  If we ever go back to the Met, please try and pay more attention to the Modern art, because as stated if the the time is taken to examine these strange pieces, we may actually learn a lot  about peoples' beliefs and opinions on the world that we never knew were even thought about.  Some pieces may actually educate us about issues and force us to think about points that we never would have thought about otherwise, which is never a bad thing.

Met Trip

To be perfectly honest, I am not an art person. Anyone who has met me and seen my work can vouch for the fact that I have not a single artistic bone in my body. However that being said I would just like to say, the Met. field trip without question was one of the most interesting and fun adventures I've ever been on, and coming from someone who formally had believed they had a lack luster appreciation for art it means a lot. I was amazed at all of the different paintings and sculptures. Some i will admit I didn't understand and others I thought were just downright obscure, but the craftsmanship in each one was extraordinarily admirable. The trip overall definitely inspired me to take a deeper appreciation for art and look beyond just the surface. I would love to go back again someday.

Here are some of the pictures that I took while we were there:

Ranked in no particular order those were some of my favorites that I came across while traversing the art decked halls of the Met. I would also just liked to point out the striking resemblance of Sean Brogan to the African Body Suit. At one point I couldn't even tell them apart.

blog 8

http://www.whitehouse.gov/raise-the-wage

Lately in class we have been talking about poverty and it made me think about how many families are barely getting by due to unemployment, sick family members, or just not making enough money for the work they do. In the article above it talks about how in 2014 Obama's state of the union and how he wanted to raise minimum wage to 10.10. Working at a minimum wage job and only making 8.25 (not 8.75 due to minimum wage finally being increased) it's very easy to see that yes this job provides money and for me it's not a bad salary to make but thats because 1) I don't have anyone to support 2) I'm not trying to live off this money my own. The money i make goes towards saving for college and little things but for individuals that are working jobs like mine and have to go home and put dinner on their table for their family it just isn't enough. I think that minimum wage should be increased to at least 9.50. Minimum wage is supposed to be a minimum way to get by and with this economy our minimum wage just isnt cut for that. Theres no way you can support a family making what the minimum wage is at the moment.

The Human Brain

The human brain is a supercomputer. All day long, it processes amounts of information so large that they could cause the average laptop to crash or overheat. If one were to take a moment to consider all of the things that they experience through their senses, they would be tired out in a matter of minutes. Take, for instance, your hands. At this moment, I can see my two hands, my ten fingers, sprawled about my keyboard. I can see the letters I am pressing down, I can feel the force of the keys pushing back up against me, I can hear them click, I can feel my wrists resting on my desk. The interaction of my hands with my keyboard sets off thousands of neurons, which shoot electrical signals to my brain, which sends down commands. This process is repeated thousands of times in a day, billions of times over the span of a human life. As my brain is processing my interaction with the world, it controls my movements, my heartbeat, breathing, emotions, etcetera. Even during sleep, the brain is active, and while this activity fluctuates over the course of the night, my brain causes vivid dreams and keeps me breathing. The brain is a ceaseless workhorse.

            Psychologists, neurologists, psychiatrists, neuro-psychologists, and other –ists have studied – or, tried to study – the brain for centuries. And yet, there is no doubt that we know very little about the vast workings of the brain. There is, for example, no consensus on the origins or mechanics of the mind. We all know that we are alive, but no one knows how we know we are here. There are some theories that consciousness is actually dark matter, an invisible, otherworldly type of matter of which nothing is known, and that consciousness is a simply a by-product of the neural connections in the brain. Under this latter theory, people have stipulated that the Internet is aware of its existence. If a brain is a series of connections humans are self-aware, and the Internet is a series of connections, why can’t the Internet be self-aware?

            The brain is a vast unknown, up there in the lists of scientific mysteries along with black holes and dark matter. People devote their entire lives to the study of the brain, and 2^nd Period Humanities would surely benefit from a week or two of brain study

#9

        Immigration has been a very popular issue within recent years.  The whole debate between letting the illegal immigrants stay or kicking them out.  Regardless of the side one takes, fixing the issue is a very demanding task.  Personally, I would rather see reform in the process of becoming a U.S citizen.  If we fix the issues with the process, such as any fees and the duration itself, we may see a decrease in the amount of illegal people in the country.  If number keep rising, then we know it's not a matter of becoming a citizen, but that there is some other underlying issue.  If leaders go the other way, and say all illegal immigrants are being kicked out, then our working economy will completely collapse.  They do the jobs that no one wants to do, because they are hard workers, and also that most Americans are too lazy to do it.  Or if the other way is taken, there will be an overflow in schools and we cannot create jobs fast enough to incorporate them and our own citizens.  The country is in a very sticky situation with illegal immigrants, because we rely on them for the bull-work of our country, but the cause overflow in communities and do not contribute monetarily or actively in the country.  I would really like to see an attempt to make the process in becoming a citizen easier, just to see what would happen.  If they become citizens, do the hard work, pay taxes and contribute to the betterment of society, we would have a great thing going.  But at the moment, we are in a very tight spot where the slightest action may have great ramifications.

Blog #9

When we were discussing possible future topics in our class, the idea of doing a short unit on Islam came up. Since I already know a little bit of information on Islam I figured I would post it here, that way anyone who wants to know some background information before we discuss it in class can read it. 

Islam is a monotheistic religion, and it is the second most popular religion in the world. It was founded in 610 A.D. by a man named Mohammed, who was the prophet of God. One day Mohammad had a vision where an angel came to him. At this time, people believed in multiple gods (polytheism), but the angel told him that there was only one God named Allah. She instructed him to worship Allah and to spread the word of God. 

The holy book of Islam is the Quran. Muslims go to mosques to read from the Quran and pray; whenever they pray they face towards Mecca, the birthplace of Islam. One of the most important beliefs of Islam is that any Muslim who is financially able must make a pilgrimage to Mecca called the "Hajj to Mecca."  In addition to traveling to Mecca at some point in their lives, they have to pray (usually five times daily: before sunrise, mid-morning, noon, mid-afternoon, and after sunset), give alms, and fast during Ramadan. During Ramadan, they are only allowed to eat after sunset and before sunrise. These things make up what is called the five pillars of Islam: testimony of faith, prayer, giving alms (support of the needy), fasting during the month of Ramadan, and the pilgrimage to Mecca. 

There are different sects of Islam, and two of the largest ones are the Sunni and Shi'ite sects. Only a small percentage of Muslims are Shi'ite, but a large percentage (somewhere around 85%) of Muslims are Sunni. Although most Muslims are not radicals at all, many people mistakenly believe that all Muslims are "terrorists." This is one of the most common misconceptions about Islam, and it is very untrue! The vast majority of Muslims are moderate, and 93% of Muslims do not support extremist views at all. They are regular, peaceful people who are trying to honor God in their lives. 

Hopefully this is interesting to anyone who was not previously aware of this information. I think that talking about this more in class is a really good idea! 

#9: American films and music on foreign countries

Today in class we touched on an idea about foreign films and music. Someone asked if American films and music were used in other countries. I decided to take a small pole. I messaged 5 of my foreign friends. Aimee from Australia, Sofia from Sweden, Burkie from Istanbul, Alex from Germany and Gabriel from France. I asked them all 3 questions. The first was if they knew who Nicki minaj was and their responses were pretty funny. Aimee's response was "of course I know who she is, I don't live under a rock" which isn't surprising because they do speak the same language as us and we are like Australia in many ways. Sofia said she knows of Nicki Minaj because of billboards she saw in Times Square this summer. Burkie didn't know who Nicki Minaj was but said he wishes he did because she "has the body of a goddess" but both Alex and Gabe knew and loved her music. The next question I asked was if they knew any American artists. And all of them but Burkie could name atleast one. Alex loves drake and the weeknd and Gabe loves Kid Ink. Wiz Khalifa and Nicki Minaj. The last question I asked was if they've seen any American movies. Apparently Australia shows ALL the same movers we do, Sweden doesn't show any, Istanbul doesn't show any, Germany has a few theaters with some and France shows a bunch. Gabe lives in Neuilly Sur Seine and said that  because of tourist attraction the theaters in Paris always play American films. He said his favorite film was gone girl. He also said American TV shows are popular. He said Royal Pains which is ironically filmed in the hamptons is very popular. So my question is, why don't we show foreign films here?

Obama's Plan For the Middle Class #8

          President Barack Obama will call on Congress to simplify a tax code he deems overly complicated and weighted toward wealthy Americans.The moves - likely to meet resistance from Republicans in Congress - are meant to pay for the long slate of new programs the President began laying out two weeks ago designed to bolster the middle class, including offering two free years of community college to qualified students.
            Obama's aides have been seeking ways to expand a robust economic recovery beyond top earners, who have been buoyed by record closes on Wall Street. He'll also spell out ways to simplify the way taxpayers apply for education and child care credits, including increasing the top child care credit to $3,000.
              To pay for the changes, the administration is proposing about $320 billion in new revenue over the next decade. Obama wants to wring more taxes from investment income - capital gains and dividends - which are taxed at a lower rate than ordinary earnings. Since wealthy Americans are more likely to derive income from investments, they'd bear the overwhelming weight of a higher rate on that type of profit.

#8 the people who really need the money

I had a talk with my father about a month ago and we were talking about sports and how ridiculous it is for people who have a career in entertainment make so much money just from enjoyment. A professional football player make an average of $1.9 million per year with only 11 minutes of action per game. An NBA player makes $5.15 million per year, an MLB player makes $3.2 million per year and an NHL player makes $2.4 million per year. Just looking at this makes me kind of mad because they aren't saving anyones life or keeping people out of jail, they have these jobs because of a talent, for us people to watch and enjoy a game. Even actors, actresses and musicians are the same! They aren't making movies or music to save a life. Celebrities use the money they get basically from us to give to hospitals or people in Africa or something. I dot have anything against that of course but its the way they make that money gets me kind of mad. A nurse, doctor, surgeon, lawyer and even a teacher work so hard to support strangers to grow to be successful, be prove innocence or to stay alive. Do you think celebrities like Brad Pitt, Paris Hilton or Kim Kardashian (who is certainly a big part of this) can save a live? They don't even make their own dinners or do their own hair and makeup. Yes, they make a lot of money from movie premiere weekends but they have so much of that money and a nurse is barely home to have dinner with her kids because she is working so hard, doing her job responding to patients and saving money to use on her kids for food or school or health.

I am amazed that a professional football player has so much money and is so stupid to use his fame and money to either buy drugs, hurt women, murder and many other things and aren't sent to jail for years because they can pay their bail every time they get locked up. I have strong feelings against pro football players because they don't get action, they don't get punched in the face, loose teeth, get stitches and go back into the game 5 minutes later. Thats why I enjoy college sports a little more than pro because they don't get stupidly rich. They are students, they still have academics to achieve. (Not the point)

I don't know if this bothers anyone else but it surely bothers me. I truly do truly think about the people who struggle vs professional and celebrities and about how much common people struggle and I wish there is a change.

Blog #8

http://kansasexposed.org/2014/11/29/ku-journalism-major-shreds-case-against-mike-brown/

Recently a student at the University of Kansas, Shelby Lawson, wrote this article. It is all about the Michael Brown case and clearing up any questions we may have had about it. This article made me completely re evaluate my stance on the case. It brings up various different points I thought to be true and proves them to be false using the actual grand jury transcript. The ability for this one girl to do all this research and completely change the story that we all probably thought to be true is not only astounding but courageous.

9. Low-income families trying to survive in modern day America

In present day society, getting by of weekly paychecks seems to be the only way how to survive. No one is ahead. You’re always owing someone money, or behind on payments. It seems as though it’s hard to even save some money without having to zero out your account on the next bill. Even day to day life nowadays feels futile.

Coming from a lower income family myself, I personally understand the difficulties in the struggle to get by. Even with all the assistance the government offers, just surviving seems out of hands reach. Once you fall below the poverty line, building your way up is incredibly difficult. For one thing, when out of work for a long period of time, and in need money for food, you can apply for food stamps. At first, it comes off as a huge relief, like a burden has been removed from your shoulders. You feel protected, but soon or later, you eventually won’t need those food stamps any more. Yes, there are people who somehow “break the system” and rely on food stamps their whole lives, but those who don’t have to pay back. And not “payback”, no they actually have to pay back the government for what they borrow.

So maybe those who hold onto food stamps when not necessary anymore, actually fear the repercussions of their actions. They know that deep down without them, they wouldn't be able to afford the way of living they had gotten used to, and that they wouldn't be able to live AND pay back their dues. I’m not saying that they system our government has created is wrong, or needs to be fixed, but maybe if we fixed our economy first, and maybe made average living more affordable we wouldn't have issues like this occurring. People wouldn't feel the need to trick the government in order to get by, and maybe the government would be better in the long run.

BLOG 8

The movie we recently finished in class opened my eyes to a variety of things i have never considered before; one being how educated and concerned our generation is becoming about what goes on in the government. We are enthusiastically curious about politics, and that is not something you would expect from regular teens. I'm glad we get to talk about what goes on in politics in class and have mature, educated conversations with each other; and to me that is extremely rare. The drive we have alone as a simple class filled with 20+ students is amazing. I am very proud to call myself a member of the class of 2015 at ESM because of the personality, and intelligence. As we all begin to turn 18 we have to come to the realization that we are going to be able to vote in the 2016 election... which is huge. 40% of Americans don't even vote, and don't even bother trying to understand the way our government works; but we right here understand. We are educated, and we care about the future of America.. because WE are the future of America.

Robert Reich (9)

While researching Robert Reich, I found a video on his website titled "What Low Wage Workers Need Most."  He spoke about six main necessities, but I would like to focus on the first: Living Wage.  Living wage is an income that is sufficient enough to support a life, including food, shelter, and clothing.  When Reich created this video, minimum wage was $7.25 an hour, and he claimed that no individual could live on this income.  He also elucidates that, if we had the same minimum wage that was around decades ago, and it had kept up with inflation, minimum wage workers would be making $10.40 an hour today.  Although this minimum has increased to $8.75, I am sure Reich would consider this insufficient still.

Although Robert Reich is way more knowledgeable and educated than I, I can't help but question some of his points.  For example, are minimum wage jobs really intended to provide someone with a living wage?  In my opinion, minimum wage jobs are for high school and college students who are just entering the job force, and are not yet equipped for higher-paying jobs.  With more experience and/or higher educational degrees, they can then reach for a better job.

Of course, there are many valid arguments that can be made against the above case.  Some people can not afford a higher education, and therefore resort to minimum wage jobs to support their families.  Although raising the minimum wage may seem like a win-win, teens get paid more while adults can better provide for their family, this is not a perfect solution.  When wages are raised, employers usually resort to job cuts in order to maintain or increase profit.  Additionally, heads of companies may choose to raise prices for this same reason, and less people will purchase their products.  This takes away from the circulation of money in our economy.

Robert Reich raises many valid points, but I would just like to remind everyone to maintain their own opinions.  Although his movie and videos are extremely eye opening, there are no simple solutions to our economic crises, and therefore we can not accept his suggestions as being the absolute answer to our problems.

Illegal Immigrants (BLOG #8)

With over 11 million immigrants in the United States illegally (as of 2012), the issue of illegal immigration continues to divide Americans. Many people have different opinions dealing with illegal immigrants.   "Illegal immigration (also referred to unauthorized or undocumented immigrants) refers to the migration of people across national borders in a way that violates the immigration laws of the destined country." and a "Immigrants are persons admitted as legal permanent residents (LPRS) of the United States. The conditions for the admission of immigrants are much more stringent than nonimmigrants, and many fewer immigrants than nonimmigrants are admitted. Once admitted, however, immigrants are subject to few restrictions; for example, they may accept and change employment, and may apply for U.S. citizenship through the naturalization process, generally after 5 years.

Like everything else, people either agree or disagree with illegal immigration. I personally I cant choose a side.  An illegal action is illegal and is not right and these people are living here without paying taxes yet they are very hard working and take jobs that most Americans would not do.  There are two very strong arguments dealing with illegal immigrants.
They include:

Illegal immigration benefits the US economy through additional tax revenue, expansion of the low-cost labor pool, and increased money in circulation. They contend that immigrants bring good values, have motivations consistent with the American dream, perform jobs that Americans won’t take, and that opposition to immigration stems from racism.


Opponents of illegal immigration say that people who break the law by crossing the US border without proper documentation or by overstaying their visas should be deported and not rewarded with a path to citizenship and access to social services. They argue that people in the country illegally are criminals and social and economic burdens to law-abiding, tax-paying Americans.

Since these two sides and both convincing and persuading, will we ever just ignore illegal immigration? Or will it always be a problem?

American Sniper

Over the weekend, as I do annually during Oscar season, I went out and saw a few of the nominees for Best Picture at the 87th Academy Awards. One of the celebrated films that was up for this honor was "American Sniper" a patriotic biopic of America's deadliest war hero, starring this excellent Bradley Cooper. Cooper, wholly deserving of his nomination for Best Leading Actor, portrays Chris Kyle who, With 255 kills, 160 of which were officially confirmed by the Department of Defense, is the deadliest marksman in U.S. military history
While the film has been a hit with audiences with a record setting $90.2 million at the box office, and A-plus rating among critics, its subject matter is causing controversy among some in Hollywood for its perceived pro-war message. For example, just listen to a quote from documentarian Michael Moore, he says "So here's what I think about "American Sniper": Awesome performance from Bradley Cooper. One of the best of the year. Great editing. Costumes, hair, makeup superb! Oh... and too bad Clint (Eastwood) gets Vietnam and Iraq confused in his storytelling. And that he has his characters calling Iraqis "savages" throughout the film. But there is also anti-war sentiment expressed in the movie. And there's a touching ending as the main character is remembered after being gunned down by a fellow American vet with PTSD who was given a gun at a gun range back home in Texas -- and then used it to kill the man who called himself the 'America Sniper'." His words have garnered outrage from Hollywood and everyday Americans alike 
The large response also from social media has translated to widespread racism, also, against Arabs with people saying that this movie made them want to murder them. What I mostly had for this film was respect and I understood the patriotism conveyed through the masterful performances and great actors. Entertaining, tense and thrilling, "American Sniper" devolves into glorification by sugarcoating the truth and creatively changing details to assure we see the hero Chris Kyle was without most of the much darker anti-hero he also was. Eastwood has stripped things back so that we observe the action through American eyes only, our focus as blinkered as that of its titular killer which makes the American response justified and predictable. However, despite its many flaws, 'American Sniper' is still an engaging war drama with some excellent set-pieces and Bradley Cooper continues to showcase his superb acting chops.

Fetch the Anaesthetist (7)

What would happen to you were you to, suddenly, have a horrible accident? A car accident, for example? Likely what would happen is you would be trucked off to the nearest hospital and be treated. Your car would be scrapped and you'd receive a pitiful lump sum of insurance money for it. Then you're left up to your neck in hospital bills that you couldn't dream of affording. Sure, you have health insurance, but unfortunately for you you still get to pay a ridiculous percent, more than you could even make. This situation is not far fetched. Every day things such as this happen in America. Why is it that we must plunge into poverty because of an accident, even if it wasn't our own fault? (Don't forget, if you sue don't expect any money for roughly ten years, assuming you win at all of course.)

The following song by British metal band Enter Shikari, "Anaesthetist", was written about the United Kingdom's National Health Service becoming privatized, however without that knowledge one could swear it was written about the United States' health care system. (Warning: explicit language)

Lyrics such as "You sold us short/You will not profit off our health" or "We drink to your health/We capitalize on your condition" seem to really hit home hard to us Americans. How is it any different? In this country, our medical professionals charge absurd amounts of money for their services and will turn away those who cannot pay. Physicians have become businessmen, quite literally capitalizing on our condition. It's a common sentiment to believe that doctors pressure patients to take unnecessary precautions to make money off of them, and I can speak from experience. My sister is a veterinarian, ans she often complains that she has to essentially sell her services to her patients' owners in order to make the company money, as her salary essentially depends on it.
Is the prime motto from the Hippocratic oath not "do no harm"? Is turning away those in need not doing harm? Those doctors who studies for years and years because they were passionate to help had to become capitalists in order to survive in the field, and you pay the price.

And what of insurance companies? Are they in the wrong as well? Or course they are. Insurance companies exist for profit. The only reason we need health insurance is because of the completely absurd cost of medical care in the first place. Other countries have publicly funded health care paid for with taxes from the people. There is no middleman trying to make a quick buck, like there are too many of here. The health care system in America is now  health care industry fueled by greed and a brutal lack of morals. It is the responsibility of a government to protect the welfare of its people, so why is ours allowing private institutions to "suck the blood of the afflicted"?

"Illness is not an indulgence that you should pay for, nor is it a crime for which you should be punished."

blog #8

         97.5% of people in Manorville are above the poverty level. That leaves only 2.5% that is below the standard line. This is why we really have no idea how bad poverty really can be, because we really don't see it too often. We all live in decent houses and have more than one pair of shoes and coats and every article of clothing. Yes, our parents may be struggling, but its no where in comparison to the 46.5 million people in the united states that live in poverty. I know for a fact that my parents are always complaining about money and say that it's a struggle, but here I am typing on my Macbook laptop in my heated house and realize that somehow there will always be enough money available for me to eat when and what I want and I won't know the struggle of living on the streets. I am in no way shape or form rich and my family and I definitely have our monetary issues but compared to the homeless people I see when I go to the city I feel like a billionaire where I am.
        I feel an incredible sense of guilt for owning all of the clothes and material items I have but I don't know what to do about it. Sure I donate whenever I can and always participate in food drives and give my clothes to the churches but besides that I feel hopeless. I know how bad the economy is these days and how many people struggle while there's the top 1 percent trying to decide which color Lamborghini they want to drive today or which country they want to fly to in their private jet and it really just disgusts me. When did the United States become this bad and when did everything start to become so unequal? I even fear for when I grow up and have to live by myself in the real world and what kind of struggles I'm going to face economically. This whole thing just frightens me and I fear that things can only get worse for America if we continue on like we have been.

Freedom of Speech

Quite obviously our constitutional right to freedom of expression here in the US is pretty nifty, I can speak my mind freely about just about anything i choose granted that it doesn't classify as libel/slander or invoke widespread panic (such as screaming fire in an enclosed area). We are free to say things like "That president Obama guy sure is lame" or "wow isn't this YouTube thing pretty great guys!" all without worry of being thrown in prison or executed on the spot which although may seem like a bit of a hyperbole but in some countries around the globe *cough* *cough* North Korea *cough*, and at the very least freedom of speech were it is present is quite often limited in some way.

So seeings as how its such a marvelous and exemplary privilege to posses its a shame that its very essence is often completely disregarded, or used in a way that can only be described as deplorable. If you asked any average American to list off all of their principle constitutional rights many would be very quick to include the Freedom of Speech, especially over something like the illegal quartering of soldiers, however many often take it for granted and don't really appreciate it. I turn to Walter Lippmann with his essay "The Indispensable Opposition" in which he reveals how many people only tend to truly value freedom of speech when it applies to themselves. I would love to go more in depth on his argument however I could spend an hour just on that so instead I'll put the link at the bottom for anyone who wishes to give it a look.


One issue that irks me more than any other is that of the movie "The Interview". To think that at any time OUR rights and privileges can be stepped on by the whims of terrorists is just absurd. Although no i am not asking for a nuclear missile to be jammed down our throat i do not condone SONY's actions in delaying (initially cancelling) the release of their movie simply because of a threat from one of the most politically corrupt countries in the world. Although the most dramatic, it wouldn't exactly be the first time someone has made a video making fun of North Korea (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxDgQJBVJxg). I believe Jon Stewart like always provides a very striking (and humorous) perspective on the subject. http://thedailyshow.cc.com/videos/o3r1be/the-silence-of-the-film

regardless of whether you are a journalist or a political activist or just an average Joe, freedom of speech applies to all of us and we must respect and uphold it no matter what. A great man (François-Marie Arouet) once said "I wholly disapprove of what you say, but will defend to the death your right to say it" and i hold that truth to be of the utmost importance if we truly are to remain a "Free" state.
 
http://grossmont.gcccd.cc.ca.us/bertdill/docs/indispensableopposition.pdf

How Has Poverty Changed Over Time

In the late 1950s, the poverty rate for all Americans was 22.4 percent, or 39.5 million individuals. These numbers declined steadily throughout the 1960s, reaching a low of 11.1 percent, or 22.9 million individuals, in 1973. Over the next decade, the poverty rate fluctuated between 11.1 and 12.6 percent, but it began to rise steadily again in 1980. By 1983, the number of poor individuals had risen to 35.3 million individuals, or 15.2 percent.

For the next ten years, the poverty rate remained above 12.8 percent, increasing to 15.1 percent, or 39.3 million individuals, by 1993. The rate declined for the remainder of the decade, to 11.3 percent by 2000. From 2000 to 2004 it rose each year to 12.7 in 2004.

Since the late 1960s, the poverty rate for people over 65 has fallen dramatically. The poverty rate for children has historically been somewhat higher than the overall poverty rate. The poverty rate for people in households headed by single women is significantly higher than the overall poverty rate.

Is social media ruining us or are we ruining social media?

Social media has definitely become a big part of my life. I constantly find myself scrolling Twitter, Instagram, Vine, and Facebook, checking my email, updating my Tumblr and watching videos on YouTube. Majority of the stuff I see is harmless, but you get the occasional "black vs white twitter" joke, or body shaming pictures on instagram and even the "if your boyfriend hits you, stay with him because if he's risking getting thrown in jail for you, he must really love you" videos on YouTube. (ill include the link below) Some of the stuff I see literally leaves me speechless. It's sometimes embarrassing to say I'm from this generation. People always ask how old I am and I'm not gonna lie, I hesitate to say 17 because many older people will think "oh she's 17 and immature like the rest of them" but what makes us all the same? There are only some of us that do things so cringeworthy that they give the rest of us a bad name, and yeah they have some growing up to do. Some of us just express our opinions. But again, some of us who express our opinions take things way too far on social media. I think the idea of social media comforts us because we're behind a computer or a cellphone and for the most our location is pretty anonymous. We find comfort in saying "if you don't like what I post, don't follow me" or "don't look at my page then". But some of the things we say, whether we realize it or not, can be really degrading to some people. Not every guy is a 6 foot 1, athletic scholar, with perfect features and a hot girlfriend. Not every girl is a victoria secret model. Body image is definitely targeted more than anything else. And then comes race superiority. I constantly see people making jokes like "blacks girls are only good for..." this "latina girls are crazy..." that "white boys think they're great because they have dads" and to be honest, it pisses me off. Society is accepting abuse on social media, and its so easy for us to blame them. We might not realize it but WE are society. We are adding fuel to the fire on social media. The idea of social media isn't ruining us, what we post on social media is.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGrbGpdEftc <- one of the things I saw on facebook that literally left me mind blown.

Poverty in New York

After doing some research about poverty its come to my attention that 1 in 5 people living in New York are living in poverty. There are six grades being taught in our school, with an average of three hundred students in each grade. Three hundred multiplied by six is 1,800. 1,800 divided by five is 360. So in comparison to the poverty in New York, if our students represented people living in poverty there would be 360 students which is more than an entire grade. Imagine the entire senior class living in poverty... There wouldn't be a prom. We wouldn't all have cars to drive to school everyday, most of us might now eat lunch. None of us would go to half priced apps at Applebee's on friday nights. Many of us wouldn't be able to play sports because we don't have money for equipment, and many of us wouldn't be going to college. Think about that. On Long Island last year it was estimated that about 900,000 people were living in poverty. Thats like our school population multiplied by 800. Can you imagine 800 schools of just children in poverty? 1,500,000 is the population of suffolk county, now imagine more than half of suffolk's population living in poverty. Long Island is the 6th richest-populated island in the world and its so filled with poverty. Thats intense to think about. I looked up and was surprised to find that the biggest population of poverty was found in Riverhead, which is literally only 10 minutes away from Manorville. Freeport is a close follow to Riverhead and has the highest crime rate on the Island. Not surprising, but I researched Manorville and was pleased to find it is one of the top 50 safest towns in America with very little crime rate. We may be fortunate but some in our district are still facing difficulties and I feel like its our job as a community to help them out.

The Robbery of Innocence

Whilst daydreaming, I pondered on the term "robbed of innocence". As we know, we usually accosiate this saying with a traumatic experience that someone faces or perhaps the spoil of youth via violence or sexual media. But while in thought about this, I've come with my own view on the saying.

I personally feel that innocence cannot be robbed.

Innocence as we feel, is something we accosiate with children but if you reflect on yourself today, you can probably find that you've shed your "innocence" long ago. "Innocence" being the feeling we have as kids that the world is magic or that nothing exists beyond the extent that you've travelled. But as you grow older, you know that the world is quite ordinary and that there are many places that you have never been.
Now I'm not going to try and display my own definition of the term "innocence" but I believe that my point can apply to any. Now to that point.

Innocence is not a possession. It's not something you can hold. It's not something you can pick up, hide somewhere, or steal. It's an ideal. An ideal that we use to define children and in some respects, ignorance. Regardless, the "robbery of innocence" or perhaps, just the loss of it, is a natural part of life. Whatever age you begin to shed your innocence, if you rid of it yourself or you lose it by force, it's apparent that it's a natural part of life. By the mid-teenage years, we have already gotten rid of the views we had as a child. We know that the world is a scary place, and bad things happen, and people of the opposite gender can be more than "friends". We accomplish the realization that the world is not innocent. In turn, realizing that we are not innocent. It's built into our DNA and evolutionary story that we need to rid "innocent" views on the world to survive. The first cavemen needed to realize that the mountain lion over there is a threat, and not cuddly just cause it has fur.

As adults, we know that we've lost our innocent views for awhile. We go through most of our life without it. And admire those who have it. But children look up to adults. They look up to the wisdom they have. The wisdom that is obtained through living life and shedding innocence at a normal age.

Now we may grow and our views on the world take darker turn for obvious reasons. But that's not to say that the world isn't amazing. Just because bad things happen shouldn't deter us that life is a beautiful thing.

Through all the hate and sadness, the key to make the world magic again, is to find the prevailing magic in life. When finding the love and beauty in our own lives, we can have a brighter view of hope in the world.

The Working Poor

   Today in class we discussed the present issues surrounding our local population of poor people, with thoughts regarding what makes us empathetic (or not) to the laborers we see waiting on the side of the road for work.

   I had given it some thought and in class realized that I didn't really think much of it when I saw them standing there. I wondered about this - what kind of person did this make me? Wouldn't I want some compassion from my fellow man?

   Well I quickly convinced myself that this was not actually the case, that I did actually feel sympathetic towards the poor, and proceeded on through my day. However, on the way home, I saw a Hispanic man riding his bicycle through the pouring rain. I drove right by.

   An hour and a half later, I realized what I had done. I had made the same mistake. In fact, I realized I had even been a little angry with this gentleman; he had been a little too close to the road and I had to swerve around him. I, in my dry, warm vehicle that could have easily fit him and his bicycle, passed him right by and went home. Not only that, but I had the audacity to be frustrated with his presence, which he could not help because he was simply heading home as efficiently as he could.

   After all that we discussed in class and the stance I had made up in my mind to take on it, I had decidedly not acted upon any of my views. I was ashamed, really, of what I had done - or rather, what I hadn't done. Sure, one can argue that offering this man a ride would not have been the safest thing to do, but that's not the worst part: I hardly even noticed him.

   In summary, I'm not suggesting that we all offer transportation to people we see walking in the rain (though it wouldn't hurt). What I'd rather we all do is not forget these people when we see them and maybe have a little human compassion for them.
 
   Regardless of where they come from or whether or not they're here legally, the point is that they certainly are here, and they're not leaving, so we might as well lend them a hand. This can be done in many ways, of course, and it doesn't matter how you go about it; it's the principle that counts. Just don't forget that they are there, and that, if misfortune seeks you out, you might someday be among them.